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Bul Kuol

  • Nationality: AUS/SSD
  • Date of Birth: 10/01/97
  • Place of Birth: Sudan
  • Position: FRD
  • Height (CM): 201
  • Weight (KG): 98
  • Junior Assoc: ACT - Canberra
  • College: California Baptist (2016–2020) Detroit Mercy (2020–2021)
  • NBL DEBUT: 5/12/21
  • AGE AT DEBUT: 24
  • LAST NBL GAME: 7/02/25
  • AGE AT LAST GAME: 28
  • NBL History: Cairns 2022-24 | Sydney 2025-26
  • Championships: 1
  • None

BIO: Bul Kuol was born in Sudan, Kuol grew up in a small village next to a military base that backed on to the jungle. He moved to Australia in 2006 when he was nine years old, when his uncle, mother, three brothers and two sisters fled from war-torn South Sudan. The family settled in Canberra while Kuol’s father stayed in Africa to look after the rest of their family.

Living in Canberra, Kuol took up basketball as a 13-year-old after a growth spurt forced him to give soccer away. He attended Lake Ginninderra Secondary College and led the school to back-to-back Australian Schools Championships. He also led the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) team to a fifth-place finish at the U20 National Championships, averaging 15.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Bul Kuol made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 24 years of age. He scored three points in his first game.

2021/22
Cairns underwent a rehaul prior to the 2021/22 season, replacing Mike Kelly with former Sydney coach Adam Forde after finishing last with an 8-28 record. Leading scorer Cameron Oliver (to the NBA), Fabijan Krslovic (to Tasmania) and Mojave King (to Adelaide) exited, while imports Tahjere McCall (via Orléans) and Stephen Zimmerman (via Nymburk), Keanu Pinder (via Adelaide) and rookie Bul Kuol (via Knox after graduating from Detroit Mercy) joined captain Scott Machado, Majok Deng, Kouat Noi, Nathan Jawai, Mirko Djeric, Jarrod Kenny and Jordan Ngatai.

On August 13, the rookie signed a two-year agreement with the second season a mutual option after averaging 18.2 points and 4.8 rebounds for Knox in the NBL1 South. Forde said, “It’s well-known that Cairns have an excellent track record of developing Australian rookies over the years and I think Bul will be another success story.”

Cairns opened the season at RAC Arena on December 5, where Kuol (3 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 steal) came off the bench in his NBL debut. Noi (17 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) and McCall (16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led the Taipans, while Cotton (31 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) guided Perth to a 90-67 win.

Kuol (10.4 points and 2.7 rebounds across 28 games) came off the bench in Cairns’ first two games before injuries elsewhere on the roster opened a starting role, and he started the final 26 games to lead the Taipans in starts and record the team’s second-most minutes. Cairns never fielded its full-strength roster, but Kuol played every game and had no injury-related absences. He established himself as one of the team’s strongest perimeter defenders and said, “I love to play the other team’s best player and it’s a good challenge.”

His best game came at Nissan Arena on February 5, where Kuol (26 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists) made eight of his 10 three-point attempts in his seventh NBL appearance as Cairns defeated Brisbane 102-94 and collected its first road win of the season. Deng (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and McCall (19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block) helped the undermanned Taipans snap a five-game losing streak, while Franks (22 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block) led Brisbane. The eight three-pointers made Kuol the third Taipan to reach that mark in a game, joining Anthony Stewart and Stephen Black.

On March 27 at the Cairns Convention Centre, Kuol (17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) made his 50th three-pointer of the season to become the first Australian rookie to reach the mark since Brad Newley in 2005. Noi (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists) and Jawai (16 points and 5 rebounds) helped Cairns defeat New Zealand 93-90, while Wetzell (21 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists) led the Breakers.

Marshall Nelson (via Perth) was added as an injury replacement for Machado in December and released in March, while unpaid training player Ben Ayre was elevated to the active roster in April as Cairns continued to manage its injury-riddled roster.

At John Cain Arena on April 18, Kuol (12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists) made his 58th three-pointer of the season to pass Shane Heal for the most by an Australian rookie. Ayre (20 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals) became the third player during NBL22 and the second Taipan in club history to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in a game, while Deng (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block) also contributed before Melbourne won 92-80 behind Goulding (27 points, 3 assists, and 1 block).

Kuol finished the season with 64 three-pointers to extend the Australian rookie record and became the first rookie in NBL history to finish inside the league’s top five for three-pointers made before being named Rookie of the Year.

McCall (16.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2 steals across 22 games) led Cairns in scoring, assists and steals and shared the club MVP award with Machado (10.2 points, 3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists across 18 games), who missed more than six weeks with a heel injury before aggravating it again during April. Deng (14.3 points and 4.7 rebounds across 28 games) finished second on the team in scoring, Zimmerman (11.4 points and 9.6 rebounds across 16 games) led Cairns in rebounding before a right-knee injury ended his season, and Pinder (10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds across 28 games) was named the NBL’s Most Improved Player. Noi (8.4 points and 4.6 rebounds across 16 games), Ayre (6.6 points and 3.8 assists across 8 games) and Jawai (5.9 points across 19 games) were the other main contributors.

Cairns ended its season at the Cairns Convention Centre on April 23, where Kuol (6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals), McCall (42 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block) and Deng (30 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led the Taipans to a 112-98 win over Brisbane, while Franks (30 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) led the Bullets. McCall became the first player during the NBL’s 40-minute era to record at least 40 points and 10 assists, while the victory completed Cairns’ first 4-0 Sunshine Stoush sweep, produced the highest team score of NBL22 and saw the Taipans finish ninth with a 9-19 record.

2022/23
After Adam Forde’s first season as head coach ended with Cairns finishing ninth with a 9-19 record, the Taipans retained Tahjere McCall, Majok Deng and Mirko Djeric. Rookie of the Year Bul Kuol, who had originally joined Cairns (via Detroit Mercy) ahead of the 2021/22 season, and reigning Most Improved Player Keanu Pinder both took up mutual options to return for a second season. Kouat Noi (to Sydney) departed, Nathan Jawai was not re-signed despite wanting to continue playing, and imports Scott Machado and Stephen Zimmerman were replaced.

Forde added Sam Waardenburg (via Miami) on a two-year deal after offering him an immediate starting role, Lat Mayen (via Nebraska), Jonah Antonio (via Czech League) and promoted injury replacement player Ben Ayre to the main roster. DJ Hogg (via Cholet) and Shannon Scott completed Cairns’ import trio alongside the returning McCall, giving the Taipans the youngest roster in the league.

During the offseason, the reigning Rookie of the Year completed NBA pre-draft workouts with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers while attracting interest for an NBA Summer League position. “All of this has just come out of nowhere,” he said. His expanded offensive role continued during the NBL Blitz, where Forde gave him the freedom to handle the ball and create his own shots.

Cairns opened the season at MyState Bank Arena on October 3, where Kuol (17 points and 6 rebounds), Deng (26 points and 5 rebounds) and Hogg (17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks) led the Taipans to a 106-84 win over Tasmania, while Rashard Kelly (15 points and 4 rebounds) was the JackJumpers’ leading scorer. Cairns scored 39 points during the third quarter, its highest-scoring period of the 40-minute era, and the victory began a 5-1 start for a team widely predicted to finish near the bottom of the ladder.

Kuol (10.3 points and 3.7 rebounds across 33 games) started every game and remained one of Cairns’ most important perimeter defenders. His ability to guard the opposition’s leading wings, pressure the ball and provide three-point shooting helped the Taipans finish the regular season with the league’s second-best defensive rating.

Kuol delivered one of his best early performances at the Cairns Convention Centre on November 4, finishing with 18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals as Cairns defeated Melbourne 97-72 and collected its first home win of the season. Pinder (18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Hogg (17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) helped the Taipans lead by as many as 40 points and force 20 turnovers, while Isaac Humphries (17 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 block) led United.

His first season-high scoring performance came against Brisbane at the Cairns Convention Centre on December 14, where Kuol (23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) made four three-pointers despite battling early foul trouble. Hogg (15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Pinder (12 points and 15 rebounds) helped Cairns defeat the Bullets 85-76 and improve to 9-5, while Aron Baynes (17 points and 5 rebounds) was Brisbane’s leading scorer.

After Pinder suffered an ankle injury in late December, Cairns won six consecutive games, including the final five without him. Kuol (18 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal), Hogg (18 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block) and McCall (18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals) completed the run at Spark Arena on January 15, leading the Taipans to an 85-83 win over New Zealand. Will McDowell-White (29 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) led the Breakers, but the victory improved Cairns to 16-7 and strengthened its hold on second place.

Pinder returned from his ankle injury but suffered an orbital fracture against South East Melbourne on January 25, again leaving Cairns without its leading rebounder. Three days later, Kuol (23 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists), Hogg (23 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and McCall (23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led the Taipans to a 94-87 win over Brisbane at the Cairns Convention Centre. Nathan Sobey (27 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led the Bullets, but Cairns improved to 17-9 and secured its postseason position. “We’ve clinched a playoff spot and we want to try and stay top two,” Forde said.

Hogg (18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks across 33 games) led Cairns in scoring and earned All-NBL Second Team honours. Pinder (16.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across 19 games) joined him on the Second Team and became the first player in league history to win consecutive Most Improved Player awards. McCall (16.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2 steals across 25 games), Waardenburg (11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds across 30 games), Scott (10.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.6 steals across 31 games), Deng (6.4 points and 3.9 rebounds across 32 games) and Ayre (5.8 points across 32 games) completed the main rotation. Waardenburg won the inaugural Next Generation Award, while Forde was named Coach of the Year.

Cairns completed the regular season at RAC Arena on February 3, where Kuol (15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal), Deng (14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) and Hogg (14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) led the Taipans to an 84-71 win over Perth. Bryce Cotton (28 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal) led the Wildcats, but Cairns briefly moved into second place before New Zealand’s final-round victories left both teams with an 18-10 record and the Breakers claimed second on percentage, leaving the Taipans third and requiring them to enter the inaugural play-in tournament.

Cairns opened the postseason against Tasmania in the Seeding Qualifier at the Cairns Convention Centre on February 9, where Kuol (5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals), McCall (24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals), Scott (17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) and Hogg (13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) led the Taipans. Milton Doyle (25 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals), Isaac White (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Jack McVeigh (13 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) powered Tasmania to an 87-79 win, while McCall partially dislocated his shoulder during the loss and joined Pinder on the sidelines.

Kuol’s best game of the season came in the sudden-death Play-In Game against Perth at the Cairns Convention Centre on February 12, where he made 9-of-14 shots and finished with 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists while playing 39 minutes. Hogg (32 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks) set a Taipans postseason scoring record and Waardenburg (15 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block) added a double-double as Cairns defeated Perth 91-78 and advanced to the semifinals. Cotton (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists), TaShawn Thomas (14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) and Corey Webster (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist) led the Wildcats.

Game one of the semifinals moved to Qudos Bank Arena, where Kuol (8 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists), Hogg (24 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists), Antonio (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block) and Scott (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists) helped Cairns build a nine-point halftime lead. Sydney responded by outscoring the Taipans 27-10 during the third quarter, with Xavier Cooks (27 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block), Derrick Walton Jr. (21 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Tim Soares (14 points and 4 rebounds) leading the Kings to a 95-87 win.

Game two moved to the Cairns Convention Centre, where Kuol (9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block), Hogg (25 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block), McCall (20 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) and Waardenburg (15 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, and 3 blocks) led Cairns to a 93-82 win. Walton Jr. (22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), Justin Simon (19 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Noi (12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) led Sydney during a game that also saw Kings coach Chase Buford ejected, Cooks suffer an ankle injury, Waardenburg and Noi leave the court after hits to the head and Soares charged with striking, while Scott was unavailable with a hamstring injury.

Game three returned to Qudos Bank Arena, where Kuol (4 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists), Ayre (20 points, 4 assists, and 1 steal) and Waardenburg (17 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Cairns, while Dejan Vasiljevic (15 points and 5 rebounds), Cooks (11 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) and Noi (11 points and 11 rebounds) led Sydney to a 79-64 win.

2023/24
Following an 18-10 season that ended with a deciding semifinal loss to eventual champions Sydney, Cairns entered Adam Forde’s third year as head coach needing to replace several major contributors. Keanu Pinder (to Perth), DJ Hogg (to Sydney), Shannon Scott and Gabe Hadley (to Brisbane), Majok Deng (to Tasmania) and Ben Ayre (to South East Melbourne) exited, while captain Tahjere McCall, Bul Kuol, Sam Waardenburg, Lat Mayen and Jonah Antonio returned. Patrick Miller (via Bamberg), Sam Mennenga (via Davidson), Akoldah Gak (via Illawarra), Taran Armstrong (via California Baptist), Bobi Klintman (via Wake Forest), Josh Roberts (via Manhattan), Lachlan Anderson (via Skopje), Kian Dennis and Alex Mudronja joined the roster.

After considering offers from rival NBL and overseas clubs, Kuol re-signed with Cairns on a one-year deal following a short stint with Le Mans in France. “Cairns has been and continues to be the best place for me. I’m looking forward to getting back to work.” A fractured wrist suffered during an off-season scrimmage then ruled him out of South Sudan’s first FIBA World Cup and the NBL Blitz, although he recovered in time for the regular season.

Cairns opened against New Zealand at Spark Arena on September 30, where Kuol (7 points, 1 assist, and 2 steals) started and played 22:09, but the Breakers won 98-87. Mennenga (17 points and 4 rebounds) and Miller (15 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals) led the Taipans, while Jackson-Cartwright (25 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 6 steals) controlled the game for New Zealand.

Kuol (12.7 points and 3.1 rebounds across 27 games) made 26 starts and produced the highest scoring average of his first three NBL seasons. He remained Cairns’ primary perimeter defender while developing into a more consistent offensive option, shooting above 40 per cent from three-point range and increasing his scoring for a second consecutive season.

Kuol’s best scoring game came against defending champions Sydney on October 28, where he served as acting captain and played all 40 minutes. Kuol (24 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) made four three-pointers as Cairns defeated Sydney 87-80, with Waardenburg (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Klintman (17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) helping the undermanned Taipans improve to 3-2, while Noi (18 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals) led the Kings. Cairns also lost Miller (8 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 2 steals) to a back injury before half-time.

Kuol (19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Cairns against Illawarra on November 11 as the Taipans won 81-71 despite playing without Miller and Klintman. McCall (16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) and Waardenburg (15 points and 4 rebounds) provided support, while Gary Clark (19 points and 6 rebounds) was Illawarra’s leading scorer.

Kuol’s best game came at Nissan Arena on December 17, where Kuol (19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) made seven of 11 field-goal attempts and four three-pointers as Cairns held on to defeat Brisbane 102-101. McCall (25 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals) and Mennenga (18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) helped the Taipans survive after surrendering a 22-point lead, while Sobey (24 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals) led Brisbane before an apparent game-winning three was ruled to have left the shooter’s hand after the buzzer.

Miller (19.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.2 steals) led Cairns offensively and received the club’s Most Valuable Player and Players’ Player awards, while McCall (17 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals) was named Defensive Player of the Year. Klintman (9.7 points and 4.8 rebounds), Waardenburg (9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds), Armstrong (7.7 points and 4 rebounds), Mayen (6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds), Mennenga (6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds) and Gak (5.5 points and 3.7 rebounds) formed the remaining main rotation, with Klintman receiving Members’ Choice MVP, Mayen the Coaches Award and Mudronja the Commitment to Community award. The campaign became Kuol’s final season in Cairns before Kuol (to Sydney) signed a three-year deal with the Kings, with the third year a mutual option.

Kuol’s last appearance came at RAC Arena on February 10, where Kuol (5 points and 3 assists) played 23:24 and fouled out as Perth defeated Cairns 117-88. Miller (25 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Waardenburg (19 points) led the Taipans, while Cotton (26 points, 4 assists, and 1 steal) was Perth’s best. Bone bruising suffered in training then ruled Kuol out of the final game on February 16, where McCall (23 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals) and Miller (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Cairns to a 97-88 win over first-placed Melbourne, while Ian Clark (20 points) led United as the Taipans completed a three-game season sweep of the league leaders and finished eighth with a 12-16 record.

SYDNEY KINGS
2024/25
Kuol singed a three-year deal (third year mutual option) to play with the Sydney Kings in 2024.

“The Kings are an established club, that has a proven track record of success, so to have the opportunity to be a part of all that was really exciting and a chance I jumped at,” Kuol said. upon signing with the Kings.

“I’ve never won any championships in my career and I feel Sydney is the best spot for me to try and end that.”

2025/26
Following a 16-13 season which left Sydney fifth and ended with a 95-88 play-in loss to Adelaide, Brian Goorjian returned for the second year of his three-year deal. Jaylen Adams (to Brisbane), Izayah Le’Afa (to New Zealand), Alex Toohey (to Golden State) and Cameron Oliver exited the team, while Matthew Dellavedova (via Melbourne), Kendric Davis (via Adelaide) and Tim Soares (via Japan) joined a returning group led by captain Xavier Cooks, Kouat Noi, Jaylin Galloway, Makuach Maluach, Shaun Bruce and Tyler Robertson. Pre-season injuries to Keli Leaupepe and Jason Spurgin also saw Hunter Goodrick (via Norths) added as a nominated replacement player.

Sydney opened the season against Cairns at Qudos Bank Arena on September 28, where Kuol (3 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) came off the bench, but the Taipans defeated the Kings 77-74. Davis (21 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) and Soares (12 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal) led Sydney, while Jack McVeigh (24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) was Cairns’ best.

Kuol (6.7 points and 4.2 rebounds across 20 games) entered the second season of the three-year deal he signed in 2024, with the final year a mutual option. His salary sat in the $500,000-$599,000 bracket, making him one of the NBL’s ten highest-paid players, and his local marquee contract helped leave Sydney with only two imports because converting it to regular salary to add a third import would have pushed the club further into luxury-tax territory. Although his scoring remained below what was expected from the deal, Kuol shot career-best marks of 51.7 percent from the field, 44 percent from three and 84.6 percent at the line while again becoming one of the league’s best perimeter defenders.

Sydney’s 3-5 opening placed Goorjian and the expensive roster under immediate pressure, with media and supporters questioning whether the 72-year-old coach was too old, whether the game had passed him by and whether he could still lead a title contender. Kuol’s lucrative deal also became a major part of the roster debate after he had averaged 5.4 points across his first 33 games for Sydney, but the Kings refused to add a third import and backed the group they had assembled.

After being moved into the starting lineup, Kuol (17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) made all five field-goal attempts and all six free throws at John Cain Arena on November 3 as Sydney ended Melbourne’s unbeaten start with a 95-92 win. Davis (34 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) and Cooks (14 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) helped the Kings return to an even record, while Tyson Walker (22 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists) led United.

Kuol (12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, and 1 block) produced his strongest defensive stat line at the WIN Entertainment Centre on November 16 as Sydney defeated Illawarra 98-71. Davis (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists) and Robertson (14 points) provided the scoring support, while William Hickey (19 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 block) was Illawarra’s best as the Kings collected their fourth consecutive win and Goorjian recorded his biggest career victory over the Hawks.

Kuol (15 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists) made four three-pointers at Claudelands Arena on December 3, but New Zealand recovered from a 10-point second-half deficit to defeat Sydney 95-90. Davis (18 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists, and 1 steal) and Galloway (16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) led the Kings, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (24 points and 3 assists) scored 21 points after halftime and sealed the game with a late three-pointer.

Kuol (0 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist) suffered a knee injury during the second quarter at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on January 2 and played only 12:57 as the 36ers defeated Sydney 85-79. Davis (26 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Dellavedova (15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led the Kings, while Flynn Cameron (25 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) starred for Adelaide. Scans confirmed an ACL injury four days later, ruling Kuol out for the remainder of the season after 20 appearances.

Torrey Craig (via Boston) was signed as Kuol’s injury replacement, with Craig (12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds across 15 games) moving into the starting group and providing NBA experience, rebounding and defensive versatility. Sydney responded to the loss of its leading perimeter defender by winning 14 consecutive games from Round 16 through game one of the Championship Series.

Davis (25.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists) carried Sydney’s offence, won the club MVP and was selected to the All-NBL First Team, while Cooks (13.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks) earned All-NBL Second Team honours. Soares (11.4 points and 5.8 rebounds), Noi (10 points and 3.7 rebounds), Galloway (9.7 points), Dellavedova (8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists), Maluach (8.3 points and 3.1 rebounds) and Robertson (6 points) completed Sydney’s main rotation.

Kuol was named Sydney’s Defensive Player and remained a nominee for the Damian Martin Trophy despite missing the final 13 regular-season games. Dellavedova received the Coaches Award, Robertson was named Players’ Player and Maluach collected the Members’ Award, while Goorjian won Coach of the Year for the seventh time. Sydney finished first with a 24-9 record and closed the regular season with 11 consecutive victories.

With Kuol sidelined, Sydney opened the semifinals against Perth at Qudos Bank Arena on March 11, where Davis (35 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), Craig (20 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) and Cooks (10 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) led the Kings to a 105-104 win. Kristian Doolittle (31 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and David Duke Jr (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists) led Perth before Doolittle missed the potential game-winning shot.

Game two moved to RAC Arena, where Davis (27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal), Maluach (23 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Craig (12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Sydney to an 89-75 win. Ben Henshall (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal) and Doolittle (15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) were best for Perth as Sydney completed the sweep and advanced to the Championship Series.

The Championship Series opened at Qudos Bank Arena on March 21, where Davis (25 points and 7 assists), Soares (22 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Galloway (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Sydney to a 112-68 win over Adelaide. Isaac White (11 points) and Bryce Cotton (10 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) led the 36ers as the Kings recorded the largest winning margin in Championship Series history.

Game two moved to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, where Davis (20 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), Cooks (18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) and Craig (17 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led Sydney, while Cotton (28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) and Cameron (17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) helped Adelaide recover from a 14-point deficit before Cotton scored at the buzzer to give the 36ers a 91-89 win.

Game three returned to Sydney, with Davis (34 points and 15 assists), Cooks (18 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks), Galloway (17 points and 2 steals) and Soares (12 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block) leading the Kings to a 106-93 win. John Jenkins (22 points), Zylan Cheatham (17 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Cotton (15 points, 3 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Adelaide as Davis became the first player in league history to record 34 points and 15 assists without a turnover.

Adelaide forced a deciding game with a 92-91 win at home in game four, despite Davis (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 10 assists), Galloway (20 points), Cooks (16 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 3 blocks) and Soares (10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks) leading Sydney. Cheatham (23 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals), Cotton (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists) and Dejan Vasiljevic (19 points and 4 rebounds) were Adelaide’s best.

Game five returned to Qudos Bank Arena on April 5, where Soares (20 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with 4.6 seconds remaining to force overtime. Davis (35 points, 1 rebound, 14 assists, and 1 steal), Cooks (19 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Galloway (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists) helped Sydney outscore Adelaide 18-6 in the extra period, while Cotton (35 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block), Cheatham (15 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Isaac Humphries (14 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks) led the 36ers as the Kings won 113-101 in front of 18,589 fans to claim the club’s sixth championship, its third in five seasons and Kuol’s first NBL title. Davis was named Championship Series MVP and Kuol remained inactive for the win.

Bul Kuol currently plays for the Sydney Kings and has played 132 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists since entering the league in 2021.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Sydney Kings – 2 Year Deal (2026-28)

NBL TOTAL STATISTICS

SEASONAGETEAMTEAM RECORDGPMINSPTSREBASTORDRSTLBLKTOPFFGMFGAFG%3PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%TS%EFG%HS
2025-2629Sydney24-9 (1)20283.6134832228551921248458752%225044%222685%67%64%17
2024-2528Sydney16-13 (5)24425.91406018144610711564911742%328140%101377%57%56%14
2023-2427Cairns12-16 (8)27806.5344844615691914528511727543%5814241%527173%56%53%24
2022-2326Cairns18-10 (3)33941.7341121533685245569011928142%4814932%557276%54%51%23
2021-2225Cairns9-19 (9)28783.92917636126423229839124138%6418335%275847%54%51%26
Totals132324212504241751053199530160362421100142.1%22460537.0%16624069.2%56%53%26

NBL PER GAME STATISTICS

SEASONAGETEAMTEAM RECORDGPMINSPTSREBASTORDRSTLBLKTOPFFGMFGAFG%3PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%TS%EFG%HS
2025-2629Sydney24-9 (1)2014.26.74.21.11.42.81.00.10.62.42.34.452%1.12.544%1.11.385%67%64%17
2024-2528Sydney16-13 (5)2417.75.82.50.80.61.90.40.30.52.32.04.942%1.33.440%0.40.577%57%56%14
2023-2427Cairns12-16 (8)2729.912.73.11.70.62.60.70.51.93.14.310.243%2.15.341%1.92.673%56%53%24
2022-2326Cairns18-10 (3)3328.510.33.71.61.12.60.70.21.72.73.68.542%1.54.532%1.72.276%54%51%23
2021-2225Cairns9-19 (9)2828.010.42.71.30.42.30.80.11.03.03.38.638%2.36.535%1.02.147%54%51%26
Total13224.69.53.21.30.82.40.70.21.22.73.27.642.1%0.00.037.0%1.74.669.2%56%53%26

CAREER HIGHS

POINTS REBOUNDS ASSISTS STEALS BLOCKS TURNOVERS TRIPLE DOUBLES
26974270

STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE

  • Canberra 2015–2016 | Knox 2021



Kuol debuted in the SEABL for the Canberra Gunners in 2015, averaging 6.0 points and 1.6 rebounds in 18 games. The following year, he averaged 8.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22 games for the Gunners.

Upon returning to Australia after college, Kuol joined the Knox Raiders of the NBL1 South in April 2021. In nine games, he averaged 18.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 22 minutes per game.

FIBA EXPERIENCE

Played for South Sudan during the FIBA World Cup Qualifying window in 2022. He played for South Sudan again in the next stage of FIBA World Cup qualifiers in February 2023.

In 2024, Bul was selected to be a part of Sudans first basketball team to qualify for the Olympics. In addition to Kuol, the Bright Stars roster also included NBL players Sunday Dech, Jackson Makoi, Majok Deng and Kuany Kuany who was named team captain.

FIBA TOTAL STATISTICS

YEARAGEGPMINSPTSREBASTORDRSTLBLKTOPFFGMFGAFG%3PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%
2024274102216661043106143243.8%61442.9%81266.7%
Total4102216661043106143244%61443%81267%

FIBA PER GAME STATISTICS

YEARAGEGPMINSPTSREBASTORDRSTLBLKTOPFFGMFGAFG%3PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%
202427425.50.54.01.51.52.51.00.82.51.53.58.043.8%1.53.542.9%2.03.066.7%
Total425.50.54.01.51.52.51.00.82.51.53.58.044%1.53.543%2.03.067%

NBA EXPERIENCE

Played with the Chicago Bulls during the 2022 NBA Summer League.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • France - Le Mans (2023)

Kuol joined Le Mans for the 2022–2023 French Pro A season in France, and France - Le Mans (2023)

He signed with Le Mans on 28 February 2023 for the rest of the 2022–2023 season.

He played 11 Jeep Elite games for Le Mans in 2022–2023 and averaged 3.6 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game.

He remained with Le Mans into the 2023 French playoffs.

COLLEGE

Bul Kuol played four seasons at California Baptist from 2016–17 to 2019–20, beginning in the PacWest before the program transitioned into Division I, and he developed from a rotation freshman into a regular starter before injuries reshaped the back half of his Lancers career.

As a freshman in 2016–17, Kuol appeared in all 31 games and averaged 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in 14.0 minutes per game, while shooting .388 from the field and .296 from three as he adjusted to college pace and physicality.

Kuol’s sophomore season in 2017–18 was his first major jump, playing all 34 games with 32 starts and averaging 6.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting .461 from the field and .383 from deep, finishing with 21 steals (second-best on the team) and earning Academic All-PacWest honours during the year.

In 2018–19, California Baptist’s first season in Division I, Kuol played the first 10 games and made seven starts, averaging 6.3 points per game with 10 made three-pointers, before a back injury ended his season after December 17.

He returned as a redshirt junior in 2019–20 and played 16 games, averaging 5.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game, with his season-best scoring game coming when he dropped 16 points against CSU Bakersfield on January 8, 2020.

After graduating from California Baptist, Kuol spent the 2020–21 season at Detroit Mercy, starting all 22 games and emerging as one of the Horizon League’s top scorers at 15.6 points per game to go with 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks in 36.1 minutes per night while shooting .458 from the field and .415 from three, finishing 13th in the league in scoring and earning third-team All-Horizon League recognition, with signature performances including a career-high 29 points in an 82–72 win over Purdue Fort Wayne on February 5, 2021 and a 28-point outing in an overtime game against Oakland on December 26, 2020.

AWARDS

- NBL Rookie Of The Year (2022)

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